Rotating ring drive for spinning machine

ABSTRACT

The conventional stationary ring on the ring rail of a spinning machine is replaced with an attachment that rotates the ring by a friction drive from a disc. The disc is rotated by a belt from a horizontal longitudinal shaft. To piece-up down ends or broken yarn upon a spinning machine having rotating rings, the ring and the bobbin are stopped, the ring by a clutch and the bobbin by a brake, and the end of the yarn from the bobbin is threaded through the traveler and then the bobbin and ring re-started to rotating and the splice between the yarn and roving made.

nited States Patent 1191 Costales et a]. V

ROTATING RING DRIVE FOR SPINNING MACHINE Inventors: Manuel Costales, 3804-3 lst St.;

Moustaia I. Hakki, 4003-21st St., both of Lubbock, Tex. 79410 Filed: Sept. 23, 1971 App1.No.: 133,025

57/124 [51] Int. Cl D0lh 7/58 [58] Field of Search 57/75, 103, 105,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,486,319 12/1969 Lee, Jr. et al 57/34 R 3,494,120 2/1970 Chilpan et al. 3,611,697 10/1971 Greb 57/124 June 12, 1973 3,025,657 3/1962 Noordenbos 57/75 Primary Examiner-John Petrakes Assistant Examiner-Charles Gorenstein AttorneyCharles W. Coffee ABSTRACT The conventional stationary ring on the ring rail of a spinning machine is replaced with an attachment that rotates the ring by a friction drive from a disc. The disc is rotated by a belt from a horizontal longitudinal shaft.

To piece-up down ends or broken yarn upon a spinning machine having rotating rings, thering and the bobbin are stopped, the ring by a clutch and the bobbin by a brake, and the end of the yarn from the bobbin is threaded through the traveler and then the bobbin and ring re-started to rotating and the splice between the yarn and roving made.

7 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures Pmmwwm 3.738.094

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ROTATING RING DRIVE FOR SPINNING MACHINE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to textile machines for spinning, twisting, and twining, and more particularly for machines with rotating rings (57/124).

2. Description of the Prior Art Previous workers in the art have suggested that the ring of a spinning or twisting machine be rotated. Examples of previous patents issued in this field are as follows:

774,742 Draper 774,743 Draper 2, 142,1 1 1 Camp 2,541,238 Goree 2,563,187 Pennati 2,796,726 Klein 2,907,165 Adams 3 ,324,643 Kluttz Although there are many patents upon the rotating rings, to our knowledge there is not a single machine with a rotating ring commercially on the market at the time of our invention.

Previous workers have recognized that with the rotating ring, not only faster spinning results, but better spinning results because the speed of the ring can be adjusted for different conditions rather than only adjusting the weight of the traveler and the speed of the spindle as is the situation with the stationary ring.

SUMMARY OF THE: INVENTION 1. New and Different Function An attachment is provided that can be placed upon the ring rail of standard conventional spinning machines, thus converting these machines havingstationary rings into machines having rotating rings. The drive for the ring is such that the ring rail is still free to move up and down.

In our work with the rotating ring, we have found that piecing-up down ends or broken yarn is extremely difficult with the rotating ring. However, we have discovered that if the ring of the bobbin with the down, end is stopped, piecing-up is simpler and easier than with a stationary ring.

Therefore, we have provided a clutch in the gear train by which the ring is rotated so the ring may be disconnected from its drive, thus stopping the ring and making it easier to piece-up a down end.

2. Objects of this Invention An object of this invention is to spin or twist fiberous yarn or continuous filaments.

Another object is to provide a conversion attachment with a simple drive for existing machines.

Another object is to provide a clutch for a spinning.

machine having a rotating ring.

Further objects are to achieve the above with a device that is sturdy, compact, durable, lightweight, simple, safe, efficient, versatile, and reliable, yet inexpensive and easy to manufacture, install, adjust, operate, and maintain.

Still further objects are to achieve the above with a method that is safe, versatile, rapid, efficient, reliable, and inexpensive, and does not require skilled people to install, adjust, operate, and maintain.

The specific nature of the invention, as well as other objects, uses, and advantages thereof, will clearly ap- BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a spinning machine with our invention attached thereto.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of an attachment according to our invention to be attached to the ring rail of a standard spinning machine.

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view of the attachment taken substantially along line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view of the attachment taken substantially along line 44 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view of the attachment taken substantially along line 5-5 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of our attachment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring more particularly to the drawings, it may be seen there illustrated a conventional spinning machine in many respects. Specifically, the drawings illustrate bobbin 10 with yarn 12 wound thereupon. The yarn extends through traveler 14 upon ring 16 and on through thread guide 18 to draw works 20. The bobbin 10 is mounted upon spindle 22 which is driven by band 24. The spindle is mounted upon spindle rail 26. The ring 16 is mounted upon ring rail 28.

We have added attachment 30. The attachment 30 includes rectangular base 32 having provisions for screws 34 to attach it to the ring rail 28. The base is made of aluminum so the total weight of the attachment is about the same as the conventional ring and ring holder, which it replaces. The total weight of the ring rail 28 with attachments is not substantially changed. Therefore, our invention as an attachment can be put on existing machines without, substantially changing the balance of the ring rail, which can be easily adjusted.

Ring bearing 36 is secured within a central aperture of the base 32. The ring 16 is journaled within the ring bearing 36. Peripheral flange or band 38 on the ring 16 is the driven band or flange for friction band 40 upon drive disc 42.

The drive disc 42 is mounted by disc bearing 44 upon block 46. The block has tongues 48 which mate grooves 50 within slot 52 of the base 32. As the attachment 30 is attached to the ring rail 28, the slot 52 is traverse or crosswise of the ring rail.

The disc bearing 44 has a vertical axis; therefore, it is parallel to the axis of the spindle 22 and the axis of the ring 16 and the axis of rotation of the traveler l4.

Pitman 54 is threaded upon its inside end and these threads are screwed into threaded hole 56 in the block 46. Cam lever 58 is pivoted to the other or outside end of the pitman 54. The cam lever has cam surface 60 thereupon. The cam surface 58 bears against edge 62 of the base 32. Therefore, it may be seen that if the cam lever is in the up or vertical position, the cam surface 60 bears against the edge 62 and pulls the pitman 54 outward, or the pitman is in tension, and the pitman 54 pulls the block 46 toward the ring 16. Therefore, the band 40 upon disc 42 firmly engages the flange 38 upon "the ring 16. Thus when the disc 42 is rotating (as explained hereinafter), the ring 16 will be rotated. However, if the cam lever 58 is flipped downward into a horizontal position, the cam surface 60 will disengage the edge 62 so the tension of belt 64 will pull the block 46 away from the ring 16. Then, the band 40 upon the disc 42 will disengage from the flange 38 and there will be no rotational drive to the ring 16.

Thus it may be seen that we have provided a clutch means for individually disconnecting each of the drive means for rotating each ring.

The friction band 40 may be made of any suitable material such as leather, synthetic material, rubber, etc. When the cam lever 58 is in the vertical position, if the tension or the pressure between the friction band 40 and the flange 38 is not proper, adjustment is made. The cam lever 58 is released and the pitman 54 is threaded into the hole 56. This will increase pressure between the flange 38 and the friction band 40. If the pressure is too great, the pitman 54 may be rotated in the opposite direction to screw the pitman out of the hole 56 and therefore, reduce the pressure between the band 40 and the flange 38.

The disc 42 has a groove or pulley 66 above the band 40. The belt 64 flts onto this pulley and extends halftwisted to shaft pulley 68 upon shaft 70. The shaft 70 is horizontal and extends longitudinally of the spinning machine and has many shaft pulleys 68 thereupon. The shaft 70 is driven by any convenient means such as a belt and step pulley from other rotating shafts or drums upon the spinning machine. We prefer to drive the shaft 70 by step pulleys so the speed of the shaft 70 may be adjusted readily. The adjustment of the speed of the shaft 70 will adjust the speed at which the rings 16 rotate which will affect the spinning. Therefore, the spinning can be adjusted without changing the weight of the travelers 14 as is known to the art. Also, the speed of the rings is independent of the speed of the bobbins.

The belt 64 may be in the form ofa cord, but it is necessary that it be resilient or elastic to accommodate movement of the block 46 toward and away from the ring 16, the block 46 being mounted for movement toward and away from ring 16. In addition, it is understood by those skilled in the art that the ring rail 28 reciprocates vertically; therefore, the distance from the disc pulley 66 to the shaft pulley 68 will vary slightly as the ring rail reciprocates vertically.

To piece-up, the operator stops the bobbin as is conventional, and, also, stops the rotation of the ring 16 by flipping the cam lever 58 down. Then the broken end of the yarn 12 is picked up from the bobbin and threaded under the traveler 14 and through the travel guide 18. Then the bobbin 10 is started rotating again and the ring 16 is started rotating again by flipping the cam lever 58 back to its vertical position. Then the broken end of the yarn is spliced with the roving at the draw works 20 as is conventional in piecing-up.

This piecing-up is simpler because there is less tension in the yarn, helping the operator to piece-up more easily than conventional tension because of the rotating ring. Also, there is an instant winding up of the yarn on the bobbin, eliminating the possibility of a second baloon formation on top of the bobbin.

We have described a spinning machine, but those skilled in the art will recognize the invention as being equally applicable to twisting, twining and like machines; therefore, each use of the term spinning machine" in this specification should be read to include twisting and twining machines and the like. Also, the term roving is used in its broadest sense to include slivers, roping, yarn and other forms of material to be fed to the machine.

The embodiment shown and described above is only exemplary. We do not claim to have invented all the parts, elements or steps described. Various modifications can be made in the construction, material, arrangement, and operation, and still be within the scope of our invention. The limits of the invention and the bounds of the patent protection are measured by and defined in the following claims. The restrictive description and drawing of the specific example above do not point out what an infringement of this patent would be, but are to enable the reader to make and use the invention.

SUBJECT MATTER CLAIMED FOR PROTECTION We claim as our invention:

1. In a machine having a. bobbins,

b. bobbin drive means on the machine for rotating the bobbins at high speed,

c. a ring rail,

(1. a ring around each bobbin,

e. each ring mounted for rotation on the ring rail,

f. a traveler on each ring, and

g. means for feeding yarn to each bobbin via the traveler;

h. THE IMPROVED STRUCTURE FOR ROTAT- ING EACH RING COMPRISING:

j. a horizontal shaft running the length of the machine,

k. the shaft positioned about the same level as the rings,

m. said bobbin drive means independent of the shaft,

n. a shaft pulley on the shaft for each ring,

0. a block for each ring mounted on the ring rail for movement toward and away from each ring,

p. a disc journaled for rotation about a vertical axis on each block,

q. a friction band around each disc contactable with the ring,

r. a disc pulley on each disc, and

s. a half-twisted elastic belt connecting the shaft pulley and the disc pulley.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 with the additional limitations of t. a base on the ring rail forming the mounting for the block on the ring rail, and

u. a pitman extending through the base and u. attached to the block.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 with the additional limitations of w. said pitman threaded to the block, and

x. a cam lever pivoted to the pitman,

y. so that the block is moved toward and away from the ring responsive to action of said cam lever.

4. In a machine having a. bobbins, Y

b. bobbin drive means on the machine for rotating the bobbins at high speed,

c. a ring around each bobbin,

(I. each ring mounted for rotation,

e. ring drive means for rotating each ring,

f. a traveler on each ring, and

g. means for feeding yarn to each bobbin via the traveler;

h. THE IMPROVED STRUCTURE COMPRISING:

p. said disc journaled for rotation about a vertical axis on each block.

7. The invention as defined in claim 6 with the additional limitations of p. a base on the ring rail forming the mounting of the block on the rign rail, and

q. a pitman extending through the base,

r. said pitman threaded to the block, and

s. a cam lever pivoted to the pitman,

t. so that the block is moved toward and away from the ring, responsive to action of said cam lever. 

1. In a machine having a. bobbins, b. bobbin drive means on the machine for rotating the bobbins at high speed, c. a ring rail, d. a ring around each bobbin, e. each ring mounted for rotAtion on the ring rail, f. a traveler on each ring, and g. means for feeding yarn to each bobbin via the traveler; h. THE IMPROVED STRUCTURE FOR ROTATING EACH RING COMPRISING: j. a horizontal shaft running the length of the machine, k. the shaft positioned about the same level as the rings, m. said bobbin drive means independent of the shaft, n. a shaft pulley on the shaft for each ring, o. a block for each ring mounted on the ring rail for movement toward and away from each ring, p. a disc journaled for rotation about a vertical axis on each block, q. a friction band around each disc contactable with the ring, r. a disc pulley on each disc, and s. a half-twisted elastic belt connecting the shaft pulley and the disc pulley.
 2. The invention as defined in claim 1 with the additional limitations of t. a base on the ring rail forming the mounting for the block on the ring rail, and u. a pitman extending through the base and u. attached to the block.
 3. The invention as defined in claim 2 with the additional limitations of w. said pitman threaded to the block, and x. a cam lever pivoted to the pitman, y. so that the block is moved toward and away from the ring responsive to action of said cam lever.
 4. In a machine having a. bobbins, b. bobbin drive means on the machine for rotating the bobbins at high speed, c. a ring around each bobbin, d. each ring mounted for rotation, e. ring drive means for rotating each ring, f. a traveler on each ring, and g. means for feeding yarn to each bobbin via the traveler; h. THE IMPROVED STRUCTURE COMPRISING: j. a disc mounted for rotation, k. a friction band on the disc contacting the ring, and m. means for moving the disc away from the ring, thereby stopping the ring.
 5. The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein said ring drive means includes n. adjustment means for changing the pressure by which the disc bears against the ring.
 6. The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein said ring drive means includes n. a ring rail, o. a block for each ring mounted on the ring rail for movement toward and away from each ring, and p. said disc journaled for rotation about a vertical axis on each block.
 7. The invention as defined in claim 6 with the additional limitations of p. a base on the ring rail forming the mounting of the block on the rign rail, and q. a pitman extending through the base, r. said pitman threaded to the block, and s. a cam lever pivoted to the pitman, t. so that the block is moved toward and away from the ring, responsive to action of said cam lever. 